My book, CHERISHED, tells
the story of a woman who wants to be a farm girl but ends up as the most
powerful Necromancer in the realm. It’s book three in my Beholder series (if
you aren’t familiar with the series, there’s a quick trailer right here.)
I’m now doing an author tour to celebrate the launch of CHERISHED,
and I’ve been asked to discuss my writing process by the awesome
folks at TWO ENDS OF THE PEN. Here goes!
I
always wanted to be a writer. I always knew the process would be tough. But it’s
the way that it’s been tough that’s surprised me most over time. Now
that I’ve published books in the double digits (CHERISHED is my lucky number
ten), I can group my insights into four key areas.
Process Insight #1. It’s
always easier to stall than write my manuscript.
Email?
Let’s write them! Blog post? Have I ever got a good idea! The tricky part is,
sometimes I honestly need a little cognitive break. I do a little
something-something online and when I come back…BOOM! I’m ready to go. So it’s
tricky to tell what’s a real time killer versus a needed break. In the end, I
err on the break side because I’m the boss of me and I can do shit like that.
Process Insight #2. I
always fight with my characters. Always.
When
I outline a book, I inevitably start with a big idea about what I want to
do with the character. When I actually get into things, that character
fights with me to be who THEY want to be. I battle with them for a while,
and then I give in. That’s when the character stops being my idea and
starts being a little entity inside my head that interacts with their
environment and does their own thing…within limits. And that’s when I know I can run with the manuscript.
Process Insight #3.
Pinterest is a Key Part of My Worldbuilding
I
need to visualize parts of my world, and my Pinterest boards are an important part of that. This can also
become a sweet time suck (see insight #1).
PRO TIP: I suggest making a board for any major character, place, power or battle. Also, it’s great to have a miscellany board where you just throw cool images. Mine is a hidden board called “needs a home.” Whenever I get stuck, I open that board and always find something.
Some
of my 100+ Pinterest boards and 5000+ pins. I have a day job too, believe
it or not.
Process Insight #4. There is nothing better than being in “The Zone.”
Once
the character is set and the plot is humming, I hit “‘The Zone.” It’s usually
about three-fourths of the way through the first full draft. It’s a lovely
place where the words flow. I can write on the drive-thru for Starbucks or on
the Boston T. I wake up early like it’s Christmas again and I’m five years old.
Then once I’m up, I write until my eyes hurt from strain. Only they don’t
hurt really, because the book is finally flowing and that’s heaven.
So
on that happy note, I’ll close off my insights and get back to writing. Thank you so much for
the opportunity to answer this thoughtful question; I certainly enjoyed the
journey of writing my response. If you think of more queries, please know that
I’m always up for reader interaction, and more information on how to contact me
is listed below.
About the Author
Christina
Bauer knows how to tell stories about kick-ass women. In her best
selling Angelbound series, the heroine is a part-demon girl who loves to
fight in Purgatory’s Arena and falls in love with a part-angel prince.
This young adult best seller has driven more than 500,000 ebook
downloads and 9,000 reviews on Goodreads and retailers. Bauer has also told the story of the Women’s March on Washington by leading PR efforts for the Massachusetts Chapter. Her pre-event press release—the only one sent out on a major wire service—resulted in more than 19,000 global impressions and redistribution by over 350 different media entities including the Associated Press.
Bauer has also told the story of the
Women’s March on Washington by leading PR efforts for the Massachusetts
Chapter. Her pre-event press release—the only one sent out on a major wire
service—resulted in more than 19,000 global impressions and redistribution by
over 350 different media entities including the Associated Press.
Christina graduated from Syracuse University’s Newhouse School with BA’s in English along with Television, Radio, and Film Production. She lives in Newton, MA with her husband, son, and semi-insane golden retriever, Ruby.
Be the first to know about new releases from Christina by signing up for her newsletter: http://tinyurl.com/CBupdates
Christina graduated from Syracuse University’s Newhouse School with BA’s in English along with Television, Radio, and Film Production. She lives in Newton, MA with her husband, son, and semi-insane golden retriever, Ruby.
Be the first to know about new releases from Christina by signing up for her newsletter: http://tinyurl.com/CBupdates
Stalk Christina on Social Media – She Loves It!
Facebook:
https://www.facebook.com/authorBauer/
Twitter:
@CB_Bauer
Cherished
Christina Bauer
(Beholder #3)
Published by: Monster House Books
Publication date: May 30th 2017
Genres: Paranormal, Young Adult
For Elea, there’s never been a better time to turn away from witch life. The Tsar is in exile. The Vicomte is dead. And Rowan? Falling for him only broke her heart. Instead of casting spells, Elea spends her days running Braddock Farm and enjoying the flirtations of the very handsome and non-magical Philippe. Everything is going perfectly, except for one problem.
Someone’s trying to kill her.
Shujaa is a Changed One, a Creation Caster mage whose mutated form makes him invincible in battle. Now that the Tsar and Vicomte are gone, Shujaa wants to rise and rule. To do so, he must eliminate all those powerful enough to oppose him, and Elea is top on his list. Anyone who offers her aid quickly ends up dead.
In the end, there’s only one person who can keep Elea safe while helping her defeat Shujaa: Rowan. Like it or not, Elea must team up with her old love. With Philippe along for the ride, Elea plans to team with Rowan without losing her heart this time. But that’s when all her plans fall apart…
Goodreads / Amazon / Barnes & Noble / Kobo / iBooks
Monster House Books is celebrating the launch of the ebook version of CHERISHED! As a result, the first two books in the series are specially priced for a limited time! To find out more, visit: http://monsterhousebooks.com/blog/cherishedpromo
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